


know no bounds

by moonfleur



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But not exactly, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, M/M, Minor Lee Donghyuck/Zhong Chen Le, Roommates, Strangers to Lovers, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:13:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29233590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonfleur/pseuds/moonfleur
Summary: Renjun is a ghost with a pretty good track record of scaring tenants out of his apartment.Then he meets Jisung.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Park Jisung
Comments: 21
Kudos: 130
Collections: Love Dream 2020





	know no bounds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hydroxy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hydroxy/gifts).



> To my dear prompter, I hope you enjoy this. It has been a ride trying to birth this fic but it is here now and far longer than I ever thought it would be.
> 
> To Kels and Steph, thank you so much for letting me cry at you while I was writing and for reading through this and reassuring me. I love you both ♥︎
> 
> (Mildly beta-ed and not edited so all inconsistencies and mistakes are my own)

_The only true borders lie between day and night, between life and death, between hope and loss. — Erin Hunter_

👻

Renjun doesn’t know how long it’s been since someone last came to see the place. Months? Years? It’s all kind of fuzzy to him now, the seconds bleeding into days and months and seasons. Time can be a bit funny when you’re dead, you see, and Renjun isn’t in the habit of keeping track of it, not when he has eternity.

Long story short, Renjun is bored. Being tied to an apartment doesn’t leave him with many entertainment options, and most of the good ones involve scaring whoever is dumb enough to sign on the dotted line. Sure, Donghyuck comes over every now and then, drifting through the water-worn ceiling from his own apartment to talk Renjun’s ear off. But it’s not the same. And in the end Renjun is left feeling as empty as the mouldy, decrepit apartment he is tied to.

Until _him_.

He doesn’t know his name when he first arrives, a nervous bundle wrapped in what looks like four layers of clothes as he trails after a man that can only be the real estate agent. Renjun doesn’t recognise him and he realises that this could be the reason no one’s even been over to take a look at the place. Not that many people consider his apartment when they are house-hunting, not with the rumours that he knows must circulate about the place: old, dirty, run-down, _haunted._

That certainly doesn't help to garner interest, even if the apartment itself is just on the outskirts of Incheon’s city center, at least a few hundred square feet bigger than the other apartments in the vicinity, _and_ a least a hundred thousand won cheaper.

This means that the people willing to sign their life over to the place tend to be a little bit...desperate. Or eccentric. Renjun’s seen his fair share of both, scared his fair share of both. He wonders which one this young man will be.

Renjun watches, perched on his usual corner of the kitchen bench, as the man steps into the apartment and tries his absolute best not to wince at the state of the place. The wallpaper is peeling in a few places, damp in a few others and just downright grimy in all the rest. Parts of the floor have started to peel back on itself, and there are wet patches on the ceiling. Renjun knows his place is not a looker, and he thinks he remembers the last tenant mentioning something about a broken heater, but it’s always the price that cracks even the strongest ones.

“Three hundred thousand a month,” he hears the real estate agent say and the young man’s face lights up like one of those flashing neon signs hanging over the shops across the street. Renjun shakes his head. This poor guy would be the worst poker player. Renjun squints when he hears a small sniffle. What the fuck? Is he _crying?_

He floats up off the bench and drifts lazily closer to where the young man and the real estate agent are standing by the windows at the far end. The lights in the apartment aren’t working but the light from all the signs hanging haphazardly on the building across from them is enough for Renjun to make out surprisingly gentle features on someone so tall. Small eyes that are a bit teary, a bit red-rimmed (but that could be from how cold it looks to be outside) and a sharp nose, juxtapositioned by lips that look ridiculously soft aside from where it’s chapped in places. He looks a bit like a slightly frozen mouse. Cute.

Giant hands reach out for the real estate agent as he nods his head. “I’ll take it,” he says. Relief is obvious in both their features and Renjun lets out a small snort. Desperate for sure.

👻

The young man moves in on a snow day, one of the coldest days in the year, Renjun thinks, judging from the sheets coming down outside the windows and layer of white covering the sidewalk below. Renjun wonders if he managed to get the electricity connected beforehand because living in his apartment during a snowstorm does not look like fun.

Donghyuck is floating along beside him where they’ve perched themselves by the window, eyes on the movers below as they unload what looks like a couch. Donghyuck frowns, nudging Renjun with his foot. “Is he really moving in before cleaning the place? It looks like someone died in here.” Renjun smacks the back of his head and he yelps, half of him going through the wall of the building. “I mean it’s true!”

He rubs his head like the smack actually hurt as he phases back into the apartment and Renjun rolls his eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

Donghyuck collapses against him, ghostly arms coming up to wrap around his waist as he leans over Renjun’s shoulder to look out the window again. “And you’re stuck with me. But we can’t _all_ be happy in life. Or… death.” He pauses. “Huh. That can’t be all his stuff.”

Renjun looks out the window to find that Donghyuck is right. The sidewalk is lined with a couch, a fridge, what looks like bits and pieces of disassembled furniture and only a handful of boxes but the movers are already closing up the back of the truck. Renjun frowns.

The young man stands off to the side, hands buried in the giant puffer jacket he’d been wearing the day he’d come with the real estate agent. And he’s not alone. Another young man stands beside him, dressed in all black and what looks to be a fur-lined leather jacket in place of the usual full-length puffer jackets people around here usually use. He’s not even wearing a beanie and a layer of snow has already made a nest of his dark hair but he doesn’t look half as cold as the man beside him.

“A desperate one?” Donghyuck murmurs in his ears and he jumps slightly, forgetting for a second that he wasn’t alone.

Renjun sighs. If he still had breath in his lungs he’s sure it would have appeared as a puff of condensation in the frigid air around them. He tries to shrug Donghyuck off but it’s half hearted and he resigns himself to being Donghyuck’s cling thing for the rest of the day. “You know how it is,” he says softly, watching as the young man directs the movers into the building. “The price always gets them.”

“Why can’t the price get someone for me,” Donghyuck whines as Renjun floats them away from the windows and into the corner across from the front door — moving day is prime entertainment after all — and settles down, cross-legged in midair. “I miss having someone to mess with.”

“You’re not even tied to that apartment, Hyuck. You could literally scare anyone else in this general vicinity if you wanted.”

“But it’s _my_ apartment,” Donghyuck grumbles and Renjun shakes his head, giving the hand around his waist a small pat.

Before he can say anything more there is the sound of the lock beeping and they both look up, Donghyuck’s arm around him tightening in anticipation. The movers enter first, one at each end of a flat trolley laden with boxes. The young man comes in second, head bowed as he fiddles with something in his hands, the strands of hair peeking out from under his beanie falling over his eyes. Behind him enters the other young man Renjun assumes is his friend, dressed in all black and giving off a vibe that has Renjun feeling mildly threatened although he doesn’t know why.

He dusts the snow out of his hair and is about to nudge the door shut behind him when he meets Renjun’s eyes and freezes. Around his waist, Donghyuck’s arms do the same, and the man’s eyes dart to where the new owner is currently talking to the movers in a voice too low for Renjun to make out.

“Can he…” Donghyuck whispers, leaning closer. “Is he…?”

The man’s eyes narrow and Donghyuck flinches. “Yeah,” Renjun says, eyeing the man back equally. “Yeah he sees us.”

The man’s eyes narrow even further before they snap open and he turns towards the movers. “Jisung,” he says in a voice that is higher than Renjun expected but no less commanding. Renjun catches a hint of an accent, one long worn away by usage but it’s still there in the lilt of his words. “I think you and the movers should go down and get the rest of the stuff before they get soaked by the snow. I’ll start with these.”

The young man, Jisung he had been called, jolts for a second before he smiles sheepishly, bright and toothy. “Oh, right. Sorry, I was talking to the _hyungs_ here. I totally forgot about the rest of the things.”

The man laughs and it’s exasperated but more than a little fond. “I know. Now, go.”

“You’re so bossy,” Jisung says, rolling his eyes but he’s smiling as he leads the movers out of the house.

The man rounds on them in an instant and Donghyuck releases Renjun to stand beside him, arms crossed. “You know I can see you,” he says and all the mirth from earlier is gone from his voice. His eyes are hard and his voice carries a warning in it. “What are you doing here?”

Renjun crosses his arms, a mirror of Donghyuck’s and floats himself off the ground just enough so that he’s at eye level with this young man. “That’s a silly question, seeing as we were both here before you.”

The man’s eyes narrow once more as he looks between the two of them. “What do I have to do to get rid of you?”

“What?!” Renjun blanches at the same time Donghyuck goes. “The fuck do you mean?”

He scowls. “Look. My best friend is moving into this apartment and it hasn’t been…easy for him. To find a place. He can’t afford to move out again so that means you two have to go.”

Renjun scowls right back. “Unfortunately for your _friend_ , I am eternally bound to this apartment. I can’t take a step out of it even if I wanted to, and trust me, I want to.”

Donghyuck sniffs. “I don’t even live here.” Renjun has to resist the urge to smack him.

“Who are you anyway?” Renjun continues. “Why can you see us?”

“Zhong Chenle,” the young man says, eyeing Donghyuck warily and Renjun is this close to banishing Donghyuck back to his apartment himself. “It runs in the family.” His eyes snap back to Renjun’s. “But I’m being serious, I don’t care what you’re bound here for, you’re not forcing Jisung from this place or I will find out how to banish you from this plane myself.”

Donghyuck makes a noise in his throat. “You can do that?”

Chenle glares at him. “I can figure out how. Like I said, it runs in the family. Now, promise me you won’t even think about scaring him.”

Renjun sighs, there goes his grand plans of breaking his record. Donghyuck and him are both tethered to this plane for their own reasons, ones neither of them are truly aware of yet, and being banished before their time is not something either of them want to consider. He suppresses a shudder.

“Fine,” Renjun says, holding out a hand. Chenle eyes it warily and Renjun can’t suppress the exasperation this time. He concentrates a little to make his hand corporeal and prods Chenle’s to know that, yes, he can be touched, smiling a little when Chenle’s eyes widen in surprise before he takes the offered hand, nice and easy.

He looks at Donghyuck too who offers his own hand reluctantly, mumbling under his breath that he doesn’t live in this house and that it technically shouldn’t apply to him. Chenle grips Donghyuck’s hand a little harder than necessary.

“If I hear even a single word,” he says just as the keypad on the door beeps to announce Jisung’s return. Chenle narrows his eyes at them one last time before releasing Donghyuck’s hand and moving to the door to help.

Renjun and Donghyuck settle back into their corner, silent, as they watch the movers bring in the last few boxes and the pieces of furniture. “You know,” Donghyuck whispers after a while, sidling up to Renjun. “That was kinda hot.”

This time, Renjun shoves him through the side wall and out of his apartment.

👻

As it turns out, Jisung doesn’t need much haunting. The young man is a disaster all on his own.

Between him and Chenle (and some men brought in by Chenle while Jisung was at work) they manage to get the apartment to a vaguely livable state. The heater seems to be working at least, if the way Jisung stops rubbing his hands to warm them up is anything to go by.

If Renjun was being honest, it’s probably the best the place has looked in years, used as he is to the apartment being broken and absolutely filled to the brim with unnecessary things. Jisung barely had enough items to begin with and the men Chenle brought over secretly managed to clean every possible crevice, including the mould that had started to make its home in the walls.

Renjun had been secretly impressed. Jisung, however, had been absolutely distraught even though Chenle had insisted over and over again that it was alright, to just take it as a housewarming gift. Jisung had relented in the end but not before he’d insisted on cooking Chenle dinner, a sweet gesture until he’d burned it all while almost setting fire to the kitchen. Something that was only prevented because Renjun had noticed the smoke and had zipped through the walls to turn off the fire.

That’s the thing about Jisung, Renjun’s starting to notice, he’s a bit like a giant, overeager, puppy. He gets excited about something, proceeds to do it, and then gets distracted by something else. It would be almost endearing if they didn’t lead to potentially disastrous things, like burning the house down, or hurting himself.

Take right now, for instance, Jisung is clad in an oversized hoodie and sweats, hood pulled over his head as he wraps Christmas presents. He is in a spot on the floor that is just on the edge of the living room, surrounded by a mess of rolled up wrapping paper and pieces from sheets already used. A pile of already-wrapped presents is growing steadily on his right, while the stack of unwrapped presents dwindles on his left. He’s left a candle burning in the middle of the coffee table, something Renjun is eyeing warily from his spot on the couch.

Donghyuck drifts in from the ceiling, stifling a yawn like it means something. “Is he still going?” He settles himself on the couch beside Renjun.

Renjun hums. “Yup. Hasn’t stopped all morning.” He glances at the clock on the wall. “All afternoon,” he corrects. That’s another thing he’s noticed about Jisung, on the weekdays he is forced out of bed before the sun rises because of work, but on the weekends Jisung is practically immovable until the clock passes twelve (Renjun knows, he’s tried).

“Didn’t even know it was Christmas already,” Donghyuck mumbles.

“We never know when Christmas is, Hyuck,” Renjun answers with a small laugh. A piece of paper flutters over Jisung’s head from where he tossed it and Renjun’s eyes widen as he narrowly misses the candle on the table. He groans, putting his head in his hands. “I swear, if I was alive this boy would have given me a heart attack about a hundred times over.”

“In the good way or, like, the bad way?”

Renjun lifts his head to glare at Donghyuck who shrugs. “What? You know what I mean.”

“In the bad way!” Renjun hisses, jabbing Donghyuck in his side. “He’s only been here for two weeks but I think he’s almost died ten times now. Did you know he forgot to put a mat out in the bathroom and nearly slipped getting out of the shower?!”

Donghyuck looks at him, a smile playing on his lips. “And what were you doing in the bathroom?”

Renjun gapes. “No! What? I wasn’t— I wasn’t _in_ the bathroom. You pervert! I heard him yell. Who do you think I am? You?!”

Donghyuck shrugs again before turning his attention back to Jisung who is trying to stack another present on top of the now-wobbling pile. “I mean, he _is_ kind of cute? In a mousy, innocent sort of way.” He cocks his head to the side, the presents wobble a bit more before they fall over and Jisung lets out a small cry of despair. “Don’t you think?”

Renjun watches as Jisung glares grumpily at the scattered pile of presents before he moves to gather them in a less-ordered heap and sighs. “I guess so,” he agrees, because Donghyuck is right. He _is_ quite cute, with a face far too young for his age and limbs far too long than he seems used to. He reminds Renjun a bit of a baby giraffe. “That doesn’t mean I want to creep on him in the bathroom!”

Another piece of paper flutters over Jisung’s head and Renjun leans forward to blow out the candle. Donghyuck glances over at him. “You been doing that much?”

“Doing what?”

“Worrying.”

Renjun tears his gaze away from where Jisung’s just picked up the pair of scissors to cut up some more wrapping paper. “What? I’m not worrying.”

Donghyuck snorts. “You can’t lie to me, Injunnie. And you also haven’t taken your eyes off him the entire time.”

Renjun settles further back onto the couch, arms crossing over his chest. “And can you blame me? You haven’t seen the way he lives. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so scatterbrained in my life. I think I can almost understand why Chenle was so worried about him.”

Donghyuck squeezes his shoulder lightly. “He’s a grown man. I think you can breathe a little. Figuratively speaking, of course.”

There’s a yelp from where Jisung is and they both turn towards the noise to find Jisung, hand cradled in his other palm, a dot of red beading from one of his fingers. He moves to stand up and the scissors falls from his lap, sharp point down, right over his foot. Renjun lets out a little strangled noise before zipping across the room to nudge the scissors just enough out of the way and it embeds itself in the wood-lined floor.

Jisung doesn’t even notice, too busy with trying to get to the sink in the kitchen. Renjun shoots Donghyuck a look over his shoulder.

“Still think I shouldn’t worry so much?”

👻

Things, decidedly, do _not_ get better.

Jisung is, for lack of a better word, a bit of a mess. Since the Christmas present incident, Jisung has almost set the apartment on fire twice, burnt soup once, forgotten his key code a handful of times and, once, he’d woken up late for work and left the house without his jacket and his wallet. Renjun had gently placed them by the door and hoped to all heavenly beings that Jisung wouldn’t realise he wasn’t the one that had left them there.

This means that Renjun spends most of his time either making sure Jisung doesn’t accidentally shoot himself in the proverbial foot or sick with worry as a ghost can be when Jisung is at work. It’s days like those that he hates the fact that he’s been bound so tightly to the apartment.

Logically, he knows that Jisung will be fine, that he’s just a little bit clumsy. He’s survived a good twenty-five years without Renjun, he’ll survive another twenty-five more, but that doesn’t stop him from pacing around the apartment wondering if it’s possible for him to get someone to baby proof it. Maybe he can possess Jisung’s phone when he’s asleep.

“You’re going to wear a whole into the floor, Injunnie.” Donghyuck is perched on the kitchen counter, cross-legged, as he watches Renjun pace the length of the living room for the nth time. “What’s got you in such a frenzy?”

It’s the middle of the afternoon (or early evening, Renjun still isn’t that great with time), the sky long-since turned dark outside despite the relatively early hour. Sprinkles of snow catch the light from the shops that line the road below making it look like a swirling mass of white on black from inside the apartment.

Renjun whirls around, arms crossing as he takes in Donghyuck’s relaxed state with a scowl. “You know that’s physically impossible for us. And I am _not_ in a frenzy.”

“Sure, and I died yesterday,” Donghyuck says, floating off the counter to land in front of Renjun. “You’re _pacing_. You’re restless. I haven’t seen you like this since—” Renjun cuts him off with a glare and Donghyuck holds his hands up in surrender before taking Renjun’s face in them. “Talk to me.”

Renjun sighs, allowing Donghyuck to squish his cheeks into a pout. “I’m worried.”

“There you go, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Renjun swats his hands away, disgruntled and Donghyuck laughs before dragging him to the couch (more out of habit since they can technically sit anywhere). “Is this about Jisung?”

“Who else can it be about?” Renjun groans, falling back onto a couch pillow and kicking his feet into Donghyuck’s lap.

Donghyuck gives his knee a comforting pat. “Why are you so worried?”

“You _know_ why.”

“No, I meant why are you so worried about _him_ , specifically. I’m sure if this had been the slightly crazy old man that lived here, what, two tenants ago? You wouldn’t have given it the slightest thought if he was about to spear himself atop of a cooking knife.”

Donghyuck gives him a look and Renjun sighs. “I… I don’t know.”

“And that’s why you’re worried.” It’s not a question but Renjun nods anyway.

“I don’t know why. It’s just… Ever since the day he came over with the real estate agent. I’ve never seen anyone look so happy to be here, you know? It’s not a great place, and I’m not a great housemate on purpose and I’m sure he’s heard the rumours about the apartments in this building but I couldn’t help thinking he was the brightest soul to ever grace this place.”

Donghyuck wrinkles his nose down at him. “Gross.”

“Shut up,” Renjun says. “You know the type of people that live here. You know what I’m saying.”

“I do. I still think you’re missing the point though,” Donghyuck says, prodding him lightly in the foot.

Renjun kicks him lightly. “What point? There isn’t one. I just… Don’t want to see him get hurt.”

“Uh-huh. Well, stop your moping. I hear footsteps on the landing,” he perks up and pushes Renjun’s legs off of him. “More than one pair.”

“More than one—,”

The door beeps as the code is entered and they both shoot up and off the couch, careful not to disturb the arrangement of the cushions in their wake. They move to hover in one of the corners when the door swings open, Jisung, dusting off the light coating of snow that’s settled onto this clothes, enters followed by one Zhong Chenle, who Renjun hasn’t seen since move-in day.

He looks as casual as they day they first met him, comfortable as he toes off his shows and dusts off his jacket before hanging it up on one of the pegs carefully attached to the back of the door. Jisung is still fumbling with the laces on his shoes by the time Chenle is done and he meets their eyes over Jisung’s bent figure. He nods once before returning his attention to Jisung who is finally slipping out of his jacket and pulling his beanie off from his head.

Chenle dusts him off once more for good measure before entering the house proper. “Order in?” He calls behind him and Jisung makes a non-committal noise.

Chenle settles onto the couch, right where Renjun had just been sitting, phone in hand and a delivery app pulled up, eyes pointedly avoiding their little corner. Donghyuck makes a small, disgruntled noise but Renjun hushes him.

“What?” Donghyuck hisses. “We don’t have to remain quiet just because he can see us.”

Renjun rolls his eyes and grabs him, pulling them both into the kitchen, which is at the opposite end of the room from where Chenle has seated himself. “You really want him listening in on everything we’re saying?” Renjun whispers.

From his position, he can just about make out Chenle half lying down on the end of the couch facing the kitchen. Renjun can see him watching them out of the corner of his eye but he knows they are too far away and speaking too softly for Chenle to hear.

Donghyuck raises an eyebrow. “What don’t you want him to hear?”

“Do you not remember what we were just talking about?”

“What? How you’ve been pining after his best friend, you mean?”

Renjun shoves him and he cackles, drifting back to him a few feet off the ground. “I have not been _pining_. I just… I just care. A bit. About him…” He trails off as realisation sets in. “Oh.”

Donghyuck smiles, understanding tinged with a bit of triumph. “It’s okay to care, you know?” He drifts back as Jisung enters the kitchen, blissfully oblivious to the conversation happening around him. “He is kind of precious.”

He reaches for Jisung like he’s making to touch Jisung’s hair and Chenle clears his throat, gaze pointed as he watches them over his phone. Renjun swats his hand away just as Jisung turns to Chenle, thinking that the noise was for him, and his sleeve catches on the glass he’d just set down on the counter.

Chenle bolts upright just as the glass slips past the edge of the counter but before he can say anything, Renjun catches it and places it gently back on the counter, a move far more practiced than it should be for the scant couple of months they’ve been cohabiting.

Chenle’s eyes widen and Jisung turns back to the counter with a frown before turning back to Chenle. “What? Why are you staring at me?”

Chenle looks between the two of them for another second and Renjun lifts a finger to his lips before drifting away from Jisung. “Nothing,” he says, his only acknowledgement. “I thought I saw something. Never mind. Just… Watch where you’re placing those glasses, you nearly knocked them over.”

Jisung looks back down at the counter, at the precarious position of the two glasses and winces, the tips of his ears colouring slightly. How can anyone be that cute? “Sorry. I guess I’m still getting used to where everything is in this place.”

“Uh huh…” Chenle says, utterly unconvinced as he settles back into the couch cushions but not before he shoots one last look at Renjun and Donghyuck. “What do you think of Chinese food?”

Jisung’s lips twitch into a smile as he pours out soft drinks for the both of them. “Whatever you want.”

👻

“They are!”

“No, they’re not.”

“You didn’t see his smile, Hyuck.”

“I saw everything, Jun. You’re assuming things again.”

Donghyuck and Renjun have relegated themselves to the bathroom, not wanting to be unwelcome additions to what Renjun is convinced is a date night. Donghyuck is hovering himself over the counter by the sink, disregarding the mess of products scattered around its surface — soap, toothpaste, cleansers and what looks like a bottle of aftershave.

Renjun is hovering across from him just over the toilet, his knees hugged to his chest as he glares across the space at Donghyuck. “They’re dating, Hyuck. Anyone with eyes can see that.”

Donghyuck glares back at him. “Then I guess you don’t have eyes then!”

Renjun opens his mouth but the toilet door slams open and Chenle walks in, a glare of his own on his face as he shuts the door behind him and locks it. “You guys are so _fucking_ loud,” he hisses. “Can you please, for the love of all that is good, take your argument elsewhere.”

Renjun scowls at him. “You know I can’t go _elsewhere._ ”

“Then shut up. Just because Jisung can’t hear you doesn’t mean I can’t.”

Donghyuck floats off the counter to stand in front of Chenle. Chenle eyes the movement like a predator would prey. “Does that mean you heard what we were arguing about?”

“No. It just sounded like noise from the living room. But I knew you were having one. Your stupid ghostly voices carry through the walls just as easily as yourselves.”

“Awesome!” Donghyuck says, clapping his hands together and Renjun’s eyes go wide.

“No.” He reaches for Donghyuck, who ducks smoothly out of the way. “Hyuck, don’t—,”

“Are you and Jisung dating?”

Chenle’s mouth drops open and Renjun wishes that he could sink into the floor. He vaguely wonders if hell will open up early for him because there’s no way he’s going to remain bound here for this conversation. Chenle’s mouth snaps shut and his lips morph into a grin, one with way too much meaning behind it for Renjun to parse.

“Why?” He asks, stepping closer to Donghyuck, a predator stalking his prey. “You interested?”

This time it’s Renjun’s jaw that falls open as Donghyuck lets out a small hiccup but he holds his ground. His eyes dart to Chenle’s lips for the briefest of seconds. “Maybe,” he whispers and Renjun takes that as he cue to leave. He phases through the bathroom wall, into the kitchen and right through Jisung who is bent over, head in the fridge as he forages for something.

Jisung lets out a little squeak as Renjun passes, his head thumping against one of the shelves as goosebumps rise on his skin, visible even to Renjun. Renjun winces and he immediately mumbles out an apology even though Jisung can’t hear him because he knows from experience that ghosts phasing through humans is not a pleasant experience.

He looks back at the wall separating the bathroom and the kitchen and suppresses a shudder. It’s not completely unheard of for ghosts to have... _relations_ … with humans, especially with humans like Chenle who can already see them. Donghyuck’s even had a few over the course of the years but it’s not something Renjun’s ever considered. Not really anyway.

He watches as Jisung shivers, probably an aftershock of Renjun phasing through him, a soft drink in his hand and one more laid out on the counter for Chenle, who he hopes isn’t defiling Jisung’s bathroom. He looks so young like this, features soft and slightly swollen from the salty food, tucked away safe and warm in one of his oversized hoodies.

Renjun allows himself to wonder, just for a moment, what it would be like if Jisung knew about him. Would he be frightened? Curious? Would he freak out so badly that he’d move out, leaving Renjun alone in an abandoned apartment for another couple of years? Or will he stay, agree to put up with Renjun for the sake of a cheap apartment? From what he’s seen of Jisung, Renjun knows which outcome will be the most likely and for the first time in a very long time, he finds that he doesn’t actually want to chase his tenant away.

Renjun leans against the counter beside him, careful to keep a safe distance between them. “Will you leave?” He asks softly. “If you knew?” The warm light of the kitchen falls across Jisung’s face and Renjun thinks he might be the warmest thing the apartment’s ever had in the entirety of its near hundred-year existence.

He looks down at the glass on the counter and in a moment of reckless bravery, he nudges it just slightly, enough to make the half-melted ice cubes clink against the edges of the glass. Jisung, as usual, doesn’t notice.

👻

The first time Jisung notices, it is unexpected. It is a few days after Chenle's visit and Jisung is bent over his laptop at the coffee table, files that he’d brought home from work that day strewn all over its surface and the ground beside him.

Renjun has curled himself up on the couch just behind where Jisung is on the floor. He is still in his work clothes, having dumped himself in front of the coffee minute he got him with a takeaway cup of what could only be coffee. There are rumples in his shirt and his hair looks like he’s run his fingers through it more times than he should have. It is the most distressed Renjun’s seen him look since he moved in and he’s surprised by the pang of worry that hits him, not least because he’s sure Jisung hasn’t even eaten yet.

Jisung lets out a huff of breath before he collapses, face down onto the table with a groan, the files and papers shifting as he makes space for himself among them. Jisung, however, is largely unaware of how wide his wingspan is and, in his attempt to merge with the table, his elbow brushes against the half-empty coffee cup.

Everything after that happens in slow motion. The cup tilts, Jisung realises a little too late what he’d just done and his head shoots up as he scrambles for the cup only for Renjun to let out a long-suffering sigh as he prods the cup back upright in what he hopes wasn’t too obvious a gesture.

Unfortunately, it was.

Jisung jerks back from the table, blinking furiously as he stares at the cup and then around the room like he’s hoping someone else might have noticed what he had while Renjun can only watch wide-eyed as he gingerly picks the cup to inspect it. He holds the cup up to the light, turns it around in his hand before he inspects the surface of the table underneath it.

He places the cup back on the table and then prods it to watch as it wobbles, careful to not let it tilt over too much. “What the fuck,” he mutters to himself before he presses the heel of his palms to his eyes. Renjun watches the entire thing with his lip caught between his teeth as he prays that Jisung will play it off as delirium from how exhausted he is.

In the end, Jisung gets up with a heavy sigh and ambles into the bathroom — presumably to wash up — and Renjun lets out a huge sigh of relief. He falls back onto the couch cushions and is about to get settled in once more when he remembers that Jisung hasn’t eaten yet. How is this human still alive?

He glances to the table, to where Jisung’s phone is lying beside his laptop. The sound of the shower turning on is the only encouragement he needs, and he drifts off the sofa until he is hovering just over the phone. He looks back at the toilet door but the shower is still running and, knowing Jisung, he’ll probably be in there for a good twenty minutes at least so now is probably as good a chance as any.

Concentrating, he slips a hand into the phone and diffuses himself into the circuits until the phone lights up and unlocks. It’s easy work after that, slipping that part of himself into the code until he can control it enough to pull up the food delivery app he usually sees Jisung use. He sifts through the different stores until he lands on a Chinese-Korean restaurant, its large photo of _jjajangmyeon_ glaring up at him from the phone screen.

He’s heard Jisung talk about _jjajangmyeon_ and _jjampong_ enough to know that it is probably the safest bet so he orders one of each, just in case. Satisfied, he removes his hand and settles back on the couch. He knows this was probably one of the riskiest things to do, a cup righting itself is one thing and can be easily written off as gravity or the trick of a tired mind, but getting food delivered is something else but he knows Jisung will probably forget to eat otherwise.

He glances at the phone one last time, worry settling in his chest alongside the satisfaction, and he hopes that Jisung will be too consumed by his exhaustion to notice that he hadn’t actually ordered himself food.

As things would go, Jisung does notice. He answers the door with confusion, looking far too refreshed for someone who had looked about a handspan away from death just a half an hour before, and he nearly rejects the food but the man recites the name on the order and Jisung has no choice but to accept.

He places the food on the kitchen counter before grabbing his phone off the table, presumably to check the food delivery app, and Renjun lets out a little noise of frustration but refuses to acknowledge the pang of regret he feels at his actions. Jisung needed it, is what he tells himself even as Jisung grows more and more panicked, looking between the bag of food and his phone like he’s trying to put two pieces of a puzzle that don’t fit together.

Renjun watches, his own panic rising, as Jisung crosses over to the kitchen, fingers flying across his phone screen before he brings the phone up to his ear.

“Was it you?” He asks into the phone and Renjun winces at the tone of his voice, taut and tense, and Renjun already regrets his decision. Why did he think doing this was a good idea? The person on the phone says something and Jisung groans, rubbing at his face in irritation. “Chenle, stop messing around. Did you send food to my apartment?”

Renjun can make out the buzz of Chenle’s voice through the phone and Jisung glances around his apartment, the most afraid Renjun’s seen him since he moved in, and the apartment had actually _looked_ haunted then. Fuck. He curls himself up further into a corner of the couch, hands coming up to half-cover his eyes as Jisung starts pacing around the kitchen.

“What did you do?” Donghyuck’s voice in his ear startles him and he yelps, sinking right through the couch.

He glares at Donghyuck but accepts his offer of a hand, allowing Donghyuck to pull him up from the ground. “What do you mean what did I do?” He knows his sullen expression isn’t doing much for his feigned innocence but he’s not ready to give in just yet.

“Please,” Donghyuck huffs, glancing over to where Jisung has started to mumble into his phone, both hands wrapped firmly around it like the phone is going to run away from him. “He looks like he’s just seen a ghost, and you look like you just kicked a puppy. It’s not that hard to put two and two together.”

“Fine,” Renjun says, scowling slightly. “I, uh, I might have—,” he pauses, sighing. “I might have possessed his phone while he was in the shower so that I could order him food.”

He says this all in one (figurative) breath and Donghyuck just looks at him for one painfully long second before he bursts into laughter. “You’re both panicking… Because he got food? Are you serious? I thought you revealed yourself to him or something.” Donghyuck cackles and Renjun aims a jab to his ribs but Donghyuck merely floats away. He shakes his head. “I can’t believe you two. You’re like, perfect for each other.”

Renjun levels a hard look at him. “Just because you’re happily dating a human doesn’t mean we can all do that.”

Donghyuck grins at him, absolutely shameless in a way only Donghyuck could ever be. “I wouldn’t say we’re _dating._ The sex is good though.”

“Hyuck!”

Donghyuck lets out another cackle and Renjun wonders what will happen if he throws himself out the window. Will he be thrown back? Will he get sent _onwards?_ Either of those seem like a better option than listening to Donghyuck laugh at his misery.

In the kitchen, Jisung lets out a frustrated sound before saying a final, “Fine!” and hangs up. The phone clatters precariously towards the edge of the counter but doesn’t fall and Renjun really doesn’t know when he’d started getting so attuned to Jisung and his actions.

“Hyuck,” he says, softly this time and Donghyuck is immediately there, pulling into his arms and Renjun allows his head to fall against his shoulder. “What am I doing?”

“I think the question is _why_ are you doing it, hm?” Donghyuck says gently, all the playfulness from earlier gone. It is one of Renjun’s favourite things about him; that he can make light of a situation but he also knows when to take things seriously. “Why do you care so much? What is it about him that has you doing reckless things?”

“I don’t— I mean,” Renjun struggles to find the words, not because he doesn’t know but because he doesn’t want to say it, doesn’t want to give form to something as intangible as his _feelings._ What do ghosts even do with feelings anyway? He burrows even closer into Donghyuck and, for once, Donghyuck doesn’t press, allows him to fight the battle he has going on internally on his own terms. “I think… I think I like him,” he says finally.

“And there you go,” Donghyuck says. The way he’s rubbing Renjun’s back gently is a salve to the turmoil of his emotions and Renjun relaxes. “See? That wasn’t so hard was it?”

Renjun sighs, looking up from Donghyuck’s shoulder to glance into the kitchen. Jisung is still pacing, but slower now, and every now and then he glances at the bag of food with a pout like he wants to eat but he’s still confused and unsure. It’s kind of adorable.

He pulls away from Donghyuck. “It was hard. You know I don’t normally do this or, or, _feel_ this. Not for humans. Not since—,”

This time it is Donghyuck who shushes him and his mouth snaps shut. “That is ancient history. Not everyone will be like him. Does it feel the same? What do you feel now?”

Renjun doesn’t even have to think about it. “No,” he says quietly. “It doesn’t.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

Renjun looks at him and then looks at Jisung, who is glancing at his phone, bottom lip caught between his teeth. “That _he_ will be afraid. You’ve seen him, Hyuck. He’s terrified now and I haven’t even done anything.”

“Stop,” Donghyuck says sharply. “You’re getting ahead of yourself. Jisung doesn’t even know you. Besides, last time you only had yourself and me. This time, we have Chenle.”

Renjun scowls. “What does your boyfriend have to do with this?”

Donghyuck grins and spins him towards the front door just as it opens and Chenle walks in. “He can see ghosts, remember?”

👻

“So,” Jisung says quietly, far too quiet for the panic that Renjun knows has been building up in him for the better part of the night. “You’re saying that my apartment… is _haunted?_ ”

They’re seated on the couch, or, well, Chenle and Jisung are seated on the couch. Renjun and Donghyuck are hovering just beyond the coffee table in a poor attempt to give them some space. Chenle keeps casting them glances out of the corner of his eye and Renjun knows Jisung’s noticed but he still looks unsure, like he doesn’t really believe what Chenle is saying.

Renjun is about as worried as Jisung looks because he knows there is only one way out of this and he’s not sure he’s ready for it. Donghyuck takes one of his hands and Renjun looks over to find Donghyuck offering him a reassuring smile.

“It will be fine,” he says softly, and Chenle’s eyes dart over to them at the sound of his voice before returning back to Jisung.

Renjun’s heart feels like it’s lodged itself in his throat and he doesn’t trust himself to speak so he nods and gives Donghyuck’s hand a small squeeze instead.

Chenle sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I wouldn’t say haunted is the right word. That would imply that there was haunting involved, which I promise, isn’t the case here.”

“And you can see them?” Jisung barrels on like Chenle hadn’t even spoken, his eyes darting around the room nervously until Chenle leans over and grips his shoulder, redirecting Jisung’s attention back to him.

“Yes, I can see them. Although, it is technically only one of them that lives in your apartment. The other one lives upstairs…” He trails off with a small laugh when Jisung gives him an unimpressed look. “Look,” he says, squeezing Chenle’s shoulder reassuringly. “I spoke to them when you moved in. They’re nice, as far as ghosts can be nice, I guess?”

Donghyuck snorts and Chenle shoots him a glare. Jisung follows his line of sight and frowns. “Are they, you know,” he takes a deep breath and Renjun can see the way he’s trying to suppress the full-body shudder that runs through him. “Are they _here?_ ”

“Yes, Sungie,” Chenle says with another laugh and Renjun can’t help but appreciate how light he’s trying to keep the atmosphere even though Jisung is clearly terrified and Renjun feels like he would have thrown up ages ago if was still alive. “Honestly, I think it would be better if I just introduced you. I’m sure there are things that can only be worked out if you talk to each other.” He levels Renjun a serious look and Renjun can’t help but swallow nervously.

Jisung’s eyes widen. “You want to _what?”_

Chenle takes Jisung’s face in his and squeezes it lightly. “Listen, they’re not as bad as you think and, unless you want to move again, you’re both kind of stuck with each other. Just, try?”

Jisung huffs and he looks so much like a particularly frazzled hamster, especially with his cheeks squished, that Renjun can’t help the wave of fondness that washes over him. “Fine. But if I have nightmares after this, you’re helping me find a new place.”

Chenle laughs. “Deal.” He turns to Donghyuck and Renjun then. “Can you guys show yourselves?”

Donghyuck gives his hand one last squeeze before releasing him to focus on making his body corporeal enough for humans. Renjun does the same, concentrating on the plane around him so that he can bring himself to the surface of it. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to do this to a particular part of him — what he normally does when he’s looking out after Jisung and interacting with things on his side of the plane — but doing it to his entire body while also trying to making himself visible takes a lot more out of him and surfaces on the other side feeling a bit more drained.

Jisung’s eyes have widened even further and he lets out a small squeak, yanking Chenle between them, when Renjun tries to smile at him. Renjun tries to ignore the sting the action brings. Renjun feels Donghyuck appear beside him, looking about as drained as he feels.

Neither of them are completely solid, Renjun can still make out the wall behind them through Donghyuck and, if he lifts his hand, he will still be able to see the floor. But it’s solid enough for human interaction.

Jisung stares at the two of them for a second like he can’t quite believe his eyes. “Holy shit,” he breathes. “You weren’t kidding.”

Chenle nudges him out from behind him. “Of course I wasn’t kidding. You already know that I can see these things, why would you think I was kidding?”

“I don’t know! You pull shit like this all the time!” Jisung’s face is a mixed bag of emotions ranging from fear to disbelief and his voice has gone up an entire octave. Renjun can only hope that he isn’t going into shock because the last thing he wants is for Jisung to pass out from fear.

He wants to do something, say something, _anything_ , that will help Jisung calm down but he doesn’t know if moving or speaking will freak him out even more. He feels like he’s been shoved onto a swaying tightrope blindfolded so he stays as still as possible and hopes that showing himself wasn’t the wrong thing to do.

“Jisung,” Chenle says firmly. “I need you to breathe. Look at them, properly. They’re not going to do anything to you.”

Jisung takes in a shaky breath and looks over Chenle’s shoulder at them. His hands are gripping Chenle’s arm so tightly that they’re white at the knuckles but he does look at them and Renjun takes that as a win. “They don’t look like ghosts,” Jisung mumbles eventually, more into Chenle’s shoulder than anything.

“What were you expecting?” Chenle answers with a laugh.

Jisung pouts and Renjun has to stop himself from cooing like an idiot. “I don’t know. Whatever we see in horror movies?”

Chenle gives the hands on his arm a small pat. “If they looked like that, I wouldn’t have let you move in here. You know that.” He looks over at Renjun and beckons him closer. Renjun looks over at Donghyuck who merely shrugs and nudges him towards where Jisung and Chenle are.

It’s strange, having to walk around the table instead of through it, but he doesn’t want to scare Jisung any more than he has to. Jisung flinches when Renjun starts to move but he doesn’t shrink away and Renjun comes to a stop in front of them.

“Hi,” he says softly, crouching in front of them. “I’m sorry for scaring you. I’m Renjun.”

Jisung stares at him for a second but his hands remain tight around Chenle’s arms. “You look so… normal," he says eventually, voice small.

Renjun’s eyebrows raise in amusement and Chenle smacks him lightly on the knee. “Sung!"

Jisung flushes, drawing back slightly. "I'm sorry. It's just, uh, wow. You don't look very scary."

Renjun huffs out a laugh. "Did you think I'd be covered in blood and chains?"

"Something like that," Jisung mumbles sheepishly.

"Cute," Renjun says before he can realise and Donghyuck lets out a snort behind him. Jisung flushes even more and Renjun's jaw snaps shut. If he still had blood in his system he knows he would be as red as Jisung is right now.

Chenle gives him a knowing look before he pries Jisung off of him. "It looks like the two of you have some talking to do so I'm going to leave you to it."

"What?!" Jisung blanches. "You can't just…"

Chenle pats his cheek fondly. "You'll be fine. Renjun is nice."

He pushes himself up from the couch and strides over to Donghyuck, who wraps an arm around him naturally. Jisung's eyes are about this close to bulging out of their sockets but Donghyuck merely grins at him. "I'm Donghyuck, by the way. I don't live here so I'll be leaving also. Play nice, Junnie."

Renjun watches them leave, not missing the way Chenle winds his arms around Donghyuck on the way out.

"Are they… You know?" Jisung says, startling Renjun out of his own thoughts.

Renjun smiles. “You’ll have to ask Chenle that. Donghyuck insists they’re not dating but he’s stupid.”

“They can do that?” There’s awe and a kind of wonder in his voice and Renjun just wants to wrap him up in a blanket.

“It’s uncommon,” Renjun says. “But it is possible. And I think Hyuck actually prefers humans even though he will never say it out loud. Is it okay if I sit here by the way?” He gestures to the spot beside Jisung and Jisung nods. He’s still a little nervous but seeing Donghyuck with Chenle must have helped to ease the nerves a bit.

Jisung watches him curiously as he sits, watching as the chair dips beneath him. “So, you’re… you’re solid?”

Renjun lets out a laugh. “Yes. As much as I can be anyway.” He holds out a hand, an invitation.

Jisung looks between his hand and his face for a second, contemplating, before he places his own on top of Renjun’s. “O-oh,” he gasps out softly. Carefully, he takes Renjun’s hand in both of his, his fingers mapping out the shape and feel of it. It’s been a while since anyone other than Donghyuck has touched him so it feels strange, like he’s shoved his hand into a portable heater. He looks up at Renjun. “You’re… you’re really cold.”

“Well, I am really dead,” Renjun says, allowing himself a more playful grin, which only widens when Jisung lets out a laugh of his own.

“I guess you’re right,” he says with a smile, small and tentative, but it’s there and Renjun knows that they will be alright.

👻

They work it out.

Renjun confesses that he was the one who’d ordered the food and Jisung had flushed, embarrassed that Renjun had noticed that he hadn’t eaten. Renjun also owns up to saving Jisung from his own little disasters (“So that’s why I haven’t broken anything since I moved in!”).

Jisung had still been wary and hesitant but Renjun had been firm about not doing anything inappropriate, promising that he has never entered Jisung’s bedroom or bathroom while he was in it.

Eventually, Jisung had gotten comfortable enough to bombard Renjun with questions about life (or death really) as a ghost and they had talked on the couch until Jisung had passed out.

It becomes easier after that. For all their differences, Renjun finds that he and Jisung actually have more in common than he would have anticipated. They spend the nights that Jisung is free enough talking about anything and everything, Jisung himself taking more and more of an interest in the paranormal since Renjun first showed himself to him.

Renjun is also happy that he gets to be more vocal about Jisung’s clumsiness now, complaining every time he has to stop Jisung from getting hurt or breaking things, which only gets him a (ridiculously cute) grin and a small apology. He also spends most of his time on the visible spectrum now, especially after Jisung had voiced that him being invisible unsettled him more.

He doesn’t always remain corporeal, though, because it takes more energy than he’d like and the look Jisung gets when he walks through solid objects will never not be amusing to him.

They fall into a routine as Jisung gets more and more used to Renjun’s presence in his life. Renjun had explained his bond to the house, how he can’t set foot outside of it, and Jisung had gotten more distressed than he’d expected, promising to show Renjun as much of the outside world as he can. Renjun would have thought it adorable if it hadn’t brought about the sudden realisation that he never wanted to see Jisung like that again.

And Jisung does show him. Every day he comes back armed with photos and videos, random snapshots of his daily life — the cafe he goes to before work, his favourite lunch place, the park a couple of blocks down that is always full of couples and their dogs.

For the first time in a very long time, Renjun is painfully aware of what he is missing out on and it instills a longing in him he never thought he’d feel. He’d always been okay with being stuck in the house, even when Donghyuck regales him with stories about the outside. But realising that he will never be able to see Jisung outside, in the spaces that make him happy, makes him almost ache with the want to go outside, to see the world that makes Jisung glow more than he’s ever seen him.

He’s doing it right now. They’re curled up underneath a thin throw on the couch, Jisung’s head pillowed in Renjun’s lap as he shows Renjun photos from his day. It’s nothing new, nothing Renjun hasn’t seen before since today is a weekday and Jisung spends five of those in the office but Renjun finds that he’s come to look forward to Jisung coming home, to the time they spend on the couch talking or catching up on the strange docuserials Jisung seems to be obsessed with.

Jisung is talking about one of his colleagues (Jaemin? Renjun isn’t sure, he might have been a bit preoccupied with Jisung and the way his hair is getting just a bit too long for him) and he twists to show Renjun a photo he’d taken of Jaemin at war with what looks like a giant copier. He’s pretty, Renjun realises, with dark hair and a wide smile and Renjun is suddenly struck with the realisation that Jisung’s never brought anyone home (aside from Chenle who doesn’t count at this point).

“Jisung?” He says slowly as he cards his fingers through Jisung’s admittedly slightly greasy hair. Jisung hums to show that he’s listening even though he’s still scrolling through something on his phone. “Are you not…” He pauses, wonders how to go about this without seeming like he has ulterior motives. “Are you not seeing anyone?”

Jisung freezes up and Renjun immediately wishes he could take the words back, damn his stupid curiousity. “I’m sorry,” he says immediately, backpedalling. Jisung is still lying stiffly in his lap, his phone frozen precariously over his face. “I shouldn’t have asked. I was just—”

“It’s fine,” Jisung says, visibly shaking himself out of whatever had come over him in that second. “It’s just not something I like to think about.”

Renjun resumes his ministrations in Jisung’s hair and he relaxes even more. He places his phone over his chest before closing his eyes with a heavy breath. “You don’t have to talk about it,” Renjun says softly. “I was just curious.”

Jisung shakes his head slightly but he keeps his eyes closed and Renjun brushes the hair out of his face. “It’s nothing really bad or anything,” he says. “It’s just… I don’t know. It’s not easy for me to get to know people. I’m quiet and kind of shy and I work a job that barely gives me enough time to myself let alone time for someone else.” He trails off with a frown and Renjun immediately moves to smooth the lines creasing his brow. “It’s just… Not something I let myself think about.”

“Why not? You’re surrounded by good-looking people and I know you said you’re quiet but I think you’re great to be around and I’m sure other people do too. And you’d,” he freezes for a second, the words catching in his throat but he forces them out because this isn’t about him, this is about Jisung. “You’d have more time for someone else if you weren’t always home with me.”

Jisung’s eyes open and he turns to look at Renjun, the frown returning. “Good-looking people? Who? Jaemin hyung? Ew, no. He’s a really good friend but I would never. Besides, he’s practically married, he only needs a ring to seal the deal. And, for the record, I like spending time with you.” Jisung stops and shoots him a look that is equal parts accusatory and uncertain. “Why are you asking anyway? Is it because— Do you not like this?”

 _Do you not like me?_ Is what Renjun hears and he immediately takes Jisung’s hands in his. “No!” He says a bit too abruptly but he doesn’t want Jisung to have any doubt that Renjun enjoys spending time with him. More than he should, if he’s being honest with himself, which he isn’t, not at the moment. “No,” he repeats more gently. “I lo— I like it. I really do enjoy spending time with you, Sungie. It’s just, you could be out there, meeting people and having fun like other people your age. I’m not… I’m not alive. I can’t even leave this house. I don’t want you to miss out on anything.” _On life._ Because Renjun wouldn’t be able to live with himself if Jisung wasn’t able to live out his life because of him. He knows it’s an arrogant thought, selfish even, but he’s beginning to realise that Jisung’s life matters more to him than his death.

“Hyung,” Jisung says, sitting up and shifting so that they are facing each other on the couch. He places his hands over Renjun’s where they were holding his own. “You worry too much about me. I’m perfectly happy where I am. I enjoy spending my evenings at home and it’s not like I enjoy going out much anyway. Besides, I— I really do like talking to you.” A blush has started to spread from the highs of his cheeks to the tips of his ears and Renjun can’t resist pulling his hand out of Jisung’s to trace it. Jisung is warm under his palm, so full of life that he almost makes Renjun feel alive, if only for the few moments that they spend together.

“I like talking to you too,” Renjun answers softly. Jisung’s eyes meet his and something passes between them in that moment, something that has the dusting of pink across Jisung’s cheeks darkening and Renjun feeling like his dead, unbeating heart is in his throat. Jisung is the one who breaks it first, clearing his throat and leaning back enough that Renjun’s hand falls limply back to his side.

“Then it’s settled then,” Jisung mumbles, looking away even though he’s lying back down in Renjun’s lap. Renjun’s hands return to his hair and Jisung picks up his phone again but there is a tension in the air that fills a silence that would have been comfortable before.

Eventually Jisung drifts off to sleep, his phone almost falling onto his face if Renjun hadn’t noticed and caught it just in time. He shakes his head fondly as he places the phone beside him on the couch and Jisung curls inward to bury his face in Renjun’s stomach. Something lodges in his throat and he looks down to trace the lines of Jisung’s face gently, acutely aware of the rise and fall of his chest as his breaths get slower and heavier.

He brushes a strand of hair out Jisung’s face before stroking his jaw gently. He leans down to press his lips to Jisung’s hair. “I know you meant well but I cannot give you what you need, Sungie. I’m sorry.”

👻

“Oh, you have it _bad,_ ” Donghyuck cackles gleefully when he floats into the apartment a few days later and finds Renjun lying prone on the ground under the window. The early spring sun filters in through the window and it is enough to warm him slightly but it is nowhere near how warm Jisung feels when he falls asleep pressed against him. It is a poor replacement, he knows, but he’s gotten so used to having Jisung around that it almost feels cold without him.

Donghyuck hovers just above him, cross-legged, bending over to get a closer look at his face. “I like him, Hyuck,” Renjun whispers, not really looking at Donghyuck. Not really looking at anything really. He’s known this for a while now but admitting it out loud to both himself _and_ Donghyuck has him reeling a little.

Donghyuck nearly falls out of the air. “What?!”

“You heard me,” Renjun says with a groan, as he covers his eyes with the back of his hand like it will hide him from Donghyuck’s questioning gaze.

“I know. I just didn’t expect you to admit to it this easily.”

Renjun sits up suddenly and this time Donghyuck actually does fall out of the air, landing on Renjun with huff. He finally looks at Donghyuck then, uncaring that Donghyuck is practically in his lap. “What do I do, Hyuck? No. What am I saying? I can’t do anything. I _shouldn't_ do anything. He can’t know. Maybe I’ll just hide from him forever, that worked before…”

“Huang Renjun,” Donghyuck says, forcefully taking his face in his hands and yanking him out of his destructive spiral of thought. “You are _not_ going to do that. You’re not running away again. I won’t let you. And you know him. He’d be absolutely devastated if you disappeared without saying anything. Are you trying to make him cry?”

“But what else can I do?” Renjun says glaring at Donghyuck forlornly. “Nothing can happen between us, Donghyuck. You know that. I am tied to his house, I’m not tying him here as well.”

“That is his decision to make, Junnie. Not yours.”

“What does it matter?” Renjun says leaning forward to rest his head against Donghyuck’s chest. “It’s not like he’d ever like me. I’m not even alive.”

“Hey,” Donghyuck counters, pushing him away so that he can pierce him with one of his intimidating death stares. “If Chenle and I can make it work then so can you.”

“Is this you admitting that you’re dating?” Renjun answers glumly, shoving Donghyuck’s arms away so that he can fall back onto the floor. He feels kind of dispirited, which is saying a lot since he is, technically, a spirit.

“No. But this isn’t about us, this is about you and Jisung. Actually,” he pauses and Renjun dips his head to look at Donghyuck who is frowning as he contemplates… whatever he’s contemplating. Renjun couldn’t really care at the moment. “Actually!” He repeats, grabbing Renjun’s arm and eliciting a yelp from him. “I think we _can_ do something.”

“Oh no,” Renjun says, wriggling as he tries to shove Donghyuck off him because Donghyuck has that gleam in his eye that normally spells trouble. A whole heap of it. And Renjun is not in the mood to clean up his messes right now. “No. Whatever you’re think about, stop. You’re going to get use banished into the afterlife for real this time.”

Donghyuck turns a blinding smile on him and Renjun groans. “Don’t worry. I promise it won’t be anything bad. I think,” he pauses for a second as he tries to get his thoughts in order. “I need to go but I’ll be back! Don’t sulk too much!”

“Hyuck!” Renjun yells but he’s already gone, zooming out Renjun’s front door with barely a wave. Renjun collapses back onto the ground and resigns himself to his thoughts and the silent fear that Donghyuck might actually well and truly kill them this time.

👻

When Donghyuck returns he has Chenle in tow — how Chenle always seems to be free even on a weekday is still a mystery to Renjun but he figures he can always ask Donghyuck if he gets too curious.

Chenle, for the first time, arrives with an entire bag full of… things. It takes Renjun by surprise because Chenle has made his reputation of sorts to always be empty-handed save for whatever he can fit in his pockets. It drives Jisung crazy and Renjun has an inkling that that is precisely why Chenle does it.

Donghyuck drifts in ahead of Chenle while he gets himself comfortable, toeing his shoes off by the door, a sling bag on the ground by his feet.

“What is going on?” Renjun hisses and Donghyuck smiles, one of his treacherous smiles and Renjun wonders how hard he can throw himself against the tethers holding him to this apartment before he gets banished to the Afterlife for real.

He doesn’t say anything until Chenle is in the apartment proper, bag of stuff placed delicately on the coffee table. Renjun raises an eyebrow at him and he laughs before moving to open the bag. He pulls out a whole smattering of items, most of which Renjun’s never seen before in his life: slips of yellow paper, a brush, a bottle of red ink and a small coin on a string that he slips around his neck before he continues unpacking.

“My grandmother was a Medium,” he says offhandedly, like that should explain everything, and it does. Renjun stares at him, silent and bug eyed for a second as he takes in everything that is happening. It actually explains a lot, specifically his ability to see and interact with ghosts.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Renjun asks quietly and Chenle pauses from where he’s pulling out sticks of incense and burner, familiar items to Renjun even if he hasn’t seen them in almost half a century.

“I spoke to my grandmother. Hyuck and I, we were…” He shakes his head. “Nevermind. But I _do_ know enough.”

Chenle is confident, always has been, Renjun had known that from the way he’d walked into Jisung’s house that very first day but for the first time something slips and Renjun sees the barest hint of uncertainty, maybe even fear. He drifts forward and places a hand on Chenle’s shoulder. “You don’t have to, you know? Whatever you’re doing.”

Chenle smiles, and he’s back again, confident and cocksure. “I would have done it anyway. Now, hush. I need to get everything set up if we want to do this before Sung gets home.”

Renjun falls back to where Donghyuck is hovering and they settle on the couch as Chenle starts to lay out the pieces of paper on the table. He paints a character on each of the pieces, carefully referencing whatever notes he might have in his phone and going over each of them every time he’s done. He messes up once, swears under his breath as he tears the paper into pieces and recounts the number of pieces he currently has.

Donghyuck fidgets beside Renjun but even he knows not to disturb Chenle when he’s trying to concentrate. Renjun’s takes his hand, mainly to stop the fidgeting but also to stop his mind from unspooling. He still doesn’t really know what’s going on, even though he thinks he has a faint idea, but the biggest question is whether it will work.

From what Renjun knows, Mediums usually bind or chain spirits and ghosts, some even banish them from this plane. Renjun doesn’t think that’s what Chenle is going to do.

He waits until Chenle is done painting before he turns to Donghyuck, careful not to distract him. “Hyuck. Tell me what is going on. What is he trying to do?”

Donghyuck smiles reassuringly and squeezes his hand. “He’s going to break your tethers, Jun. Your binding to the apartment. We’ve been… We’ve been looking it up for a while now so don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing.”

“What?!” Renjun hisses but Chenle shoots him a deathly look and he snaps his mouth shut. Fine. But he’ll get his answers.

When Chenle is done with the incense, which he places on the ground in front of the television, he gets up to push the coffee table off to the side, careful not to disturb the pieces of paper lying on its surface. From here, Renjun can see that they look like strange variations of the Chinese characters that he knows, strange because the strokes are different enough that Renjun finds he cannot read them at all. He frowns, but he resigns himself to asking Chenle when everything is over. If he’s still around.

Once the living area is clear, he uses the paint to draw a circle in the ground and Renjun can’t help the reflexive wince at the thought of paint on his floor but he doesn’t say anything. He watches as Chenle draws more characters at the four cardinal points of the circle, some of which match the characters on the papers.

Chenle looks up at him then and gestures for him to sit in the circle. “I need you sit cross-legged in here with your palms up. No matter what happens, you cannot move once I start. Promise me.”

“Only if you promise not to banish me,” Renjun grumbles but he does what he’s told, floating himself over into the circle and sitting cross-legged, palms turned up on his knees. He silently thanks all the gods that he’s already dead because he can’t imagine sitting this still while alive. He shudders at the thought.

When he is seated, Chenle grabs two pieces off the table and places one each on a palm before placing another four around the circle in opposition to the characters drawn on the floor. Immediately, Renjun feels a sudden change of pressure and he looks around, eyes wide. Donghyuck has floated over to the front of the room so Renjun can still see him and he gives him a thumbs up that does absolutely nothing for the nerves eating away at him.

He tries to distract himself by watching Chenle place the pieces of paper on all four walls of the room before heading to the front door and placing the final pieces on it. Belatedly, he hopes no one decides to come home because this will really solidify the rumour that his apartment is haunted and he will be left to spend eternity alone.

Chenle takes a seat in front of Renjun, in between the two pots of incense. “Okay,” he says. “I’m going to start now. Remember, no matter what happens _do not_ _move_ and do not step out of this circle.”

Renjun nods but it already feels like his heart is in his throat and he knows if he wasn’t already dead he would be shaking. “Hyuck,” he whispers shakily and Donghyuck gives him another reassuring smile, one tinged by his own worry but he doesn’t move and he doesn’t look away, and that’s probably all the comfort he can get from his best friend right now.

Chenle fixes him with one last pointed look before he closes his eyes. “Remember. Do not move.” He starts chanting and Renjun screams.

It feels like he’s being pulled apart, his spiritual essence yanked in all directions, he can feel explicitly the bonds that hold him to the house, can see the threads in his mind that tie him down. It hurts, he hasn’t felt pain in a long time but he knows it and it is all he feels the minute Chenle starts chanting.

Slowly, one by one, the threads start to snap and with every snap the pain increases until he can no longer see the room, or anything else for that matter. It’s a crescendo, the pain and the chanting, until they are the only things he is aware of. He tries to hold, reminds himself over and over again not to move and then the climax hits and everything disappears in a flash of white.

When he comes to, it is to a strange feeling of weightlessness and the sound of angry voices in the background of the loud white noise that is the current state of his mind. Nothing hurts anymore but he feels exhausted, like he’d been drained of all his energy.

Gingerly, he opens one eye and he finds himself lying on the floor of the living room, probably still in the middle of that circle. The voices take shape then and he realises that they’re coming from Jisung and Chenle standing by his feet. Jisung is angry. Renjun doesn’t think he’s ever seen Jisung this angry. His jacket is a heap on the couch, his hair and his work shirt is a mess where he must have angrily loosened his tie and he’s more than a little pink in the face as he yells at Chenle. Chenle who doesn’t look chastised at all despite the clear venom in Jisung’s voice.

“What did you do?!” Jisung is yelling, the words coming clearer to him with every second that passes. “Why is he— Is he—”

He is so cute. That is the first clear thought that passes through Renjun’s mind. He is flushed and upset and looking more like an angry mouse than the adorable hamster but he is on normal days but still so, so cute. Renjun shuts his eyes for a minute, reconciling the fact that he really does like Jisung, enough that he’d just gone through whatever the fuck that was.

“Did it work?” He asks croakily and the voices quieten. He opens an eye to find Jisung kneeling down beside him, his hands hovering in his lap like he wants to reach out but he’s not sure if he should.

He lifts a hand, invitation and permission, and Jisung takes it, bringing it up to his face as he tries to calm himself. He can hear the way Jisung’s breaths are coming out shaky so he rubs his thumb over his fingers as soothingly as possible. He looks back at Chenle who is watching them with thinly veiled interest. “Did it work?” he repeats and Jisung’s head snaps up to look from Renjun to Chenle.

Chenle grins and gestures towards the front door, still open from when Jisung must have barged in in a panic. “See for yourself.”

He sits up, still tired but he can feel energy returning to him in pieces, just as Donghyuck comes floating in through the ceiling. He stops short when he sees Renjun. “Junnie? Oh my god.” And then he’s barreling into Renjun, enveloping in a bear hug only he can give. They tumble to the ground and Renjun lets out a small huff of laughter when Donghyuck whines and shoves his face into Renjun’s neck. “I thought I lost you.”

Renjun smiles but his heart feels more full than it has in a long, long time. He pats the back of Donghyuck’s head gently. “I’m not that easy to be rid of.” It’s a joke but they both know he was just as scared, if not more, than Donghyuck and Donghyuck holds him tighter, just a bit, in understanding. “Now, would you please get off me. We need to make sure I didn’t go through all that for nothing.”

Donghyuck pulls away and follows Renjun’s line of sight to the front door. He grins, releasing Renjun and floating down the entranceway and out onto the landing. “Catch me if you can.”

Renjun looks up at Jisung, who is watching them both with mild amusement, and holds out his hand. “Would you do me the honours?” He asks and Jisung looks between his hand and the front door in confusion before he takes it.

“What—” He starts to ask but Renjun just shakes his head. He tugs on his hand to get him to move.

“You’ll see.”

Together, they walk towards the front door, Renjun almost bubbling over with equal parts fear and anticipation while Jisung remains mainly confused. He stops them just before the threshold and Jisung looks at him curiously.

He can’t believe this is happening. He looks at the doorframe, at the little step down that will take him to the landing, somewhere so close and yet a place he hasn’t been able to set foot on since he’d been alive. Donghyuck is on the other side and beckoning him forward, Jisung’s hand is warm in his and he’s the happiest he’s ever been in years. Decades even. He tells himself that even if it doesn’t work, it was still worth it. He looks between Donghyuck and Jisung, and even back at Chenle he gives him a smile and two thumbs up. For them, he thinks, and takes a step.

He lands on the other side, foot on tile instead of wood for the first time in over half a century. “Oh my god,” he gasps. “Oh my god!” Donghyuck immediately sweeps them both into his arms. Jisung is still looking between them in mild confusion but then Donghyuck starts yelling that he’s out of the house and Jisung swivels to him so fast Renjun would have thought him a ghost too if he couldn’t feel the warmth radiating off of him.

“You’re… You’re out of the apartment,” he says in wonder and Donghyuck cackles in glee where he’s floating around behind him. “Is that… Is that what you were trying to do?”

Renjun nods, suddenly shy and Donghyuck lets out a snort of laughter before he swoops in to give Renjun one last hug. “I’m happy for you,” he whispers into Renjun’s ears before pulling away and gliding into the apartment to drag Chenle out. “We’ll leave you two alone now, but I recommend you move this conversation back to the apartment. You know,” he winks at them and Renjun glares at him, which only serves to make Donghyuck laugh even louder.

They take Donghyuck’s advice, though, moving back into the apartment and it is only then that Renjun notices the mess it is in. There are flakes of burnt yellow paper, the circle of red paint is still there but the characters and the slips of paper have probably long since burnt away.

They settle onto the couch, which is in its own state of disarray from whatever was happening externally when Renjun was getting his ties cut. Jisung’s hand twitches like he wants to reach for Renjun so Renjun takes pity on him and takes his hand instead, smiling when he sees the tips of his ears turn pink.

He looks up at Renjun then and Renjun is almost surprised by the seriousness in his gaze. “So you were— You were trying to—” He gestures around the apartment.

“Trying to sever my bond to this place, yes. Although, I didn’t really know it at the time. Donghyuck and Chenle were being annoyingly vague about everything.”

“Why?” He asks, still serious, and Renjun is reminded that for all his cute mannerisms and his innocence that Jisung isn’t as young as he acts sometimes. He looks at their joined hands, at the apartment that they’ve spent the better half of a year in together now, and Donghyuck’s voice drifts into his mind on the waves of his memories, a very faint _talk to him_ and he has to resist the urge to scowl.

So he goes for it. Bites the bullet because Jisung is looking at him with a gaze that hints at the possibility of _more_ and, for once, Renjun doesn’t want to run away. At least not until he gives it a shot.

He squeezes Jisung’s hand. “I—” he stops, the words getting caught in his throat for a second but he forces them out, weak as they are in his own fear. “I really like you, Sungie. As— As more than a friend,” he smiles gently when Jisung’s eyes widen. But he doesn’t remove his hand so Renjun takes that as a sign to continue. “I think I have for a while now and it’s okay if you don’t feel the same way I just— I didn’t want to be the reason you were not spending more time out there. In the world.”

Jisung sighs but there’s a dusting of pink on his cheeks and he smiles when he looks at Renjun. “I told you I liked spending time with you at home, didn’t I? It wouldn’t have mattered to me as long as I— as long as I got to be with you.”

“Jisung—”

“I like you too, Hyung. A lot. You might be dead but you’ve made me feel alive more than anything else has in my entire life.” He smiles shyly as he brings Renjun’s hand up to his lips and presses kiss to his knuckles. “I’m so happy I met you.”

“Jisung,” Renjun breathes, it’s shaky and he feels like he’s on the verge of tears even though he has none. He pulls his hands out of Jisung’s to cup Jisung’s face gently and Jisung smiles into it, allowing him to trace the lines of it gently. Renjun doesn’t think he will ever get over how warm he feels. “You know you don’t have to— Just because I—”

Jisung shushes Renjun with a hand to his jaw. “You’re thinking too much, Hyung. I like you, okay? And I— I really want to kiss you now. Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

The word is barely out of his mouth when Jisung’s lips meet his and he forgets everything, the torrent of his doubts and thoughts, maybe himself even. All he knows is Jisung, the softness of his lips, the warmth of his hand as he curls it around Renjun’s head to bring them closer, the way he feels so solid and so _real_ under Renjun’s arms. Jisung smiles into it and Renjun smiles back, pulling away so he can look at Jisung properly, flushed as he is and glowing more than Renjun’s ever seen him.

“Go out with me?” Renjun asks because he can now, leaning forward to place a kiss on Jisung’s nose.

Jisung grins at him. “Literally or figuratively?”

Renjun pretends to think as he rearranges them until Jisung is leaning against the back of the couch and he is settled comfortably in Jisung’s laugh. “How about both?”

Jisung laughs as he winds his hand around Renjun’s waist to pull him closer. Jisung is so warm against him and he feels so incredibly light, like he might float away if Jisung wasn’t holding him down.

“I would love to.”

\---FIN---

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! As always, kudos and comments are much appreciated.
> 
> Fun Notes:  
> \- Their first date, they go to the park to play with puppies and because Renjun wants to see him under the sun.  
> \- Donghyuck eventually _does_ ask Chenle out, but only because Chenle asked him to. Chenle also rents Donghyuck's apartment for _convenience_ but he doesn't stay there.  
> \- The paper things Chenle used are Daoist Talismans or _fulu_ (符箓) and Mediums, in this case, refer to a 巫(wu) "shaman; healer; spirit medium" who gains control of forces in the spirit world.
> 
> Find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/moonfleur_) or [curious cat](http://curiouscat.me/moonfleur_) ♥︎


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